Reports
Alleged 2 SUVs & $50k Gift: I Never Got Any Gift From Obiano — Nnamdi Kanu
The leadership of Int’l Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) had early morning of today, being 5th June 2017 received and have telephone conversations with the lead-counsel to Citizen Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB.
Similar telephone call was received earlier today from the Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano on Political & War Veterans Affairs, Mr. Arinze Awogu. We also received a number of calls between yesterday and today from some citizens who identified themselves as concerned members of IPOB.
The centrality of the calls bordered on a recent online statement published by the 247UReports, owned by Mr. Ikenna Ezenekwe, alleging that Governor Willie Obiano made a gift of 2 SUV cars and cash of $50,000 to the IPOB leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu through his distant relative, named Mr. Primus Odili and Mr. Nnamdi Kanu accepted the car and cash gift.
The link to the online story is here: https://247ureports.com/2017/05/27/nnamdi-kanu-receives-50000-and-two-suvs-from-obiano/.
The jeeps and cash, according to Ezenekwe’s 247UReports of 27th May 2017, “were delivered to Citizen Kanu shortly after his conditional freedom from prison by one Primus Odili, said to be Gov Obiano’s distant relative”.
It was on account of worries and concerns expressed by members of the Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs) and other members of the public concerning the issue and urgent need for the leadership of IPOB and Citizen Nnamdi Kanu to publicly respond and clear their names that prompted our Coalition’s public statement of 2nd June 2017 in which other issues of critical public importance as regards human rights issues of the nonviolent pro Biafra campaigns as well as Igbo socio-political reawakening were critically assessed and discussed.
We have also in the said Coalition’s statement of ours firmly and clearly stated and pointed out too that there is nothing wrong in giving and receiving plain and charitable gifts from a public office holder or a wealthy philanthropist for the advancement of a nonviolent social struggle such as Biafra self-determination campaigns, but a lot is morally wrong and socially abominable when such gifts are seen or perceived as politically motivated, ill-conceived or evidentially and atrociously escapist.
Apart from disclosing the primary source where the said publication was made (247UReports), we also expressed worry as why the IPOB has not formally responded or reacted to the said publication considering its sensitivity since it was published.
Our said statement was also never made judgmental or conclusive but cautionary and advisory which brought about the repetitive use of “if it is true…”
What Obiano Government Told Us Today: The referenced phone conversation we had with Mr. Arinze Awogu (SSA to Gov Obiano on Political & Veterans Matters) was very friendly and cordial.
He further stated the Governor’s position as follows: that Governor Obiano never made such alleged offer or sent across such gifts (2 SUV cars and cash of $50,000) to Citizen Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB, that the said story as published by the 247UReports and its publisher-Ikenna Ezenekwe was false and sponsored by the opposition.
What Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer (Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor) Told Us: In our referenced phone conversation with Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB’s lawyer, he said as follows:
That Nnamdi Kanu said he did not receive any gift or take 2 SUV cars and cash of $50,000 from Governor Willie Obiano through him or his aide or agent and that Nnamdi Kanu is deeply worried over the allegation.
What We Agreed With Obiano Government & Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer: Intersociety had during the two phone conversations expressed its profound gratitude respectively to the duo for reaching out or being reached out.
Intersociety further regretted the negative publicity and image so generated, which informed its resolve to bring same to the public attention of the duo for the purpose of debunking same.
It also advised the duo to react or response promptly or timely whenever such mischief making publication is planted by Igbo enemies to demonize those genuinely involved in Igbo cause.
Intersociety respectively promised to reflect publicly what transpired between it and the duo in the spirit of fairness and uprightness. This statement of ours, on behalf of Intersociety and our coalition (SBCHROs), is therefore in fulfillment of our promise.
Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB through Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor and the Governor of Anambra State through Mr. Arinze Awogu were further advised to follow up this statement by publicly telling the whole world what they told us by issuing formal statements of clarification and exoneration or otherwise so as to lay the issue to rest.
Finally, while we have repeatedly stated that in the course of our human rights, democracy and good governance and public accountability advocacy, we hold nothing personal against person or group of persons or a group or groups including Nnamdi and his IPOB and the present Government of Anambra State; but we hold a lot against them as per assessment and measurement of their public conducts and accountability.
They must at all times be held to account for their conducts.
That is to say that neither Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB nor the present Government of Anambra State is above our advocacy scrutiny including constructive criticism, condemnation or commendation where and when necessary.
Even despite the infallibility of God, a question like “God Why” is periodically asked by mere mortals.
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